Privacy Transformation - Issue 125

PRIVACY

We must reform our Data Protection Commission

We must reform our Data Protection Commission

Even as Covid-19 has forced us to spend more time online, we face a deepening privacy crisis. Headlines about predatory profiling of vulnerable people by gambling firms, electoral manipulation, and market distortion that hurts us as consumers are now matters of routine. But five years ago a new law was introduced to prevent precisely this.

ICO response to DCMS consultation “Data: a new direction”

The UK’s independent authority set up to uphold information rights in the public interest, promoting openness by public bodies and data privacy for individuals.

French privacy watchdog takes action on government fingerprint database issues

French privacy watchdog takes action on government fingerprint database issues

The National Commission for Information Technology and Civil Liberties (CNIL) has decided to call the Ministry of the Interior to order after observing several failures in the proper maintenance of the automated fingerprint file (FAED).

Ikea removes CCTV found above toilets at Peterborough distribution centre

Ikea removes CCTV found above toilets at Peterborough distribution centre

The furniture giant says it understands that the discovery of the cameras "may be concerning".

Beijing explains what China's new data protection law really means – a month after it took effect

Beijing explains what China's new data protection law really means – a month after it took effect

Orders annual data reviews to ensure compliance with rules on how to handle data that's terrifying to lose, or merely scary

Blog Post: Privacy Myth Privacy Is Hard

A common myth is that privacy is hard. Indeed, designing totally ‘private’ systems is next to impossible even under ideal circumstances. (The same is true for designing 100% secure systems by the way.) But we should not let perfect be the enemy of good. A little bit of effort and consideration can actually prevent a lot of privacy harm.

SECURITY & TECH

Servers of HSE cyberattack gang seized by gardaí in recent weeks

Servers of HSE cyberattack gang seized by gardaí in recent weeks

The head of the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau has told of how gardai recently seized the servers of the gang which carried out the cyberattack on the HSE last May.

‘Insider jobs’ on rise in Ireland as fraud gangs recruit workers accessing data

‘Insider jobs’ on rise in Ireland as fraud gangs recruit workers accessing data

So-called ‘Trojan horse’ tactics now being used to gather raw data needed for frauds

Experts working to restore access to IT systems at NUIG

Experts working to restore access to IT systems at NUIG

Internet access at NUI Galway is still down following an attempted cyberattack a week ago.

RELATED: NUIG IT systems remain offline after attempted cyber attack

London’s Met Police is expanding its use of facial recognition technology

London’s Met Police is expanding its use of facial recognition technology

The Metropolitan Police is buying a new facial recognition system that will supercharge its surveillance technology capabilities.

AI & Algorithms (Part 5): UK government announces plan to regulate artificial intelligence

AI & Algorithms (Part 5): UK government announces plan to regulate artificial intelligence

On 22 September, the UK government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) announced its long-awaited National AI Strategy. The strategy paper sets out the government’s intended 10-year agenda for making the UK a “global AI superpower” and includes an acknowledgment of the need to introduce new legislation in order to regulate AI technologies.

UK NCSC: Weekly Threat Report

UK NCSC: Weekly Threat Report

The NCSC's weekly threat report is drawn from recent open source reporting.

DATA BREACH

Twitch confirms massive data breach

Twitch confirms massive data breach

Documents, shared in online forums appear to show records of payments made to streamers.

Over 1.5 billion Facebook users' personal data found for sale on hacker forum

Over 1.5 billion Facebook users' personal data found for sale on hacker forum

Unrelated to other recent problems Facebook has had, this particular batch of data was scraped from profiles, meaning it's publicly available knowledge. That doesn't stop it from being dangerous.

ENFORCEMENT

Finnish SA: Police reprimanded for illegal processing of personal data with facial recognition software

Finnish SA: Police reprimanded for illegal processing of personal data with facial recognition software

The Finnish Deputy Data Protection Ombudsman has issued a statutory reprimand to the National Police Board for illegal processing of special categories of personal data during a facial recognition technology trial.

More on the latest GDPR enforcement news can be found on:

enforcementtracker.com

CONTRIBUTE

Have an interesting article, book, video, podcast or other resource that you would like to share with fellow privacy practitioners? Please do drop me a note.